وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَـٰلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًۢا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ 58
Translations
And they said, "Are our gods better, or is he?" They did not present it [i.e., the comparison] except for [mere] argument. But, [in fact], they are a people prone to dispute.
Transliteration
Wa qaaluu a-aalihatu-na khayrun am huwa. Ma darabu-hu laka illa jadalan. Bal hum qawmun khaasimuun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
The disbelievers mockingly ask whether their idols are better than Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but this question is merely argumentative and confrontational rather than sincere inquiry. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that Allah corrects this by stating these people are simply argumentative by nature (qawm khaasimuun), inclined to dispute without seeking truth. The ayah emphasizes that their objections stem from stubbornness and enmity rather than genuine intellectual concern.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader Meccan context where the Quraysh constantly challenged the Prophet's message and his uniqueness as a messenger. Within Surah Az-Zukhruf, which refutes polytheism and false deity worship, this verse directly addresses the Quraysh's defensive posturing about their idols, presenting their comparisons as empty disputation rather than reasonable discourse.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'The best people are those of my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.' This relates to the rejection of the Prophet by the argumentative disbelievers. Also relevant is the Hadith in Jami' at-Tirmidhi about the stubbornness of the Quraysh in rejecting clear signs.
Themes
Key Lesson
When faced with people who argue not to understand but to dispute, we should recognize that such debate is often fruitless and rooted in ego rather than genuine inquiry. The ayah teaches us to maintain our conviction in truth while understanding that not all objections merit detailed responses, and to distinguish between sincere seekers and those content in argumentative stubbornness.